A state of local emergency has been lifted for the Terra Ridge housing area in Williams Lake, with the exception of four units that remain under do not occupy orders.
The city’s director of protective services Evan Dean and chief administrative officer Gary Muraca went door-to-door at Terra Ridge Wednesday morning, April 10 to connect with as many of the residents who were at home to tell them the news in person.
“We gave them the most up-to-date structural engineering report, especially because in that it states that all except those four units are safe to occupy,” Dean told the Tribune Wednesday.
If residents were not home, he said they left printed information for them, as well as to the strata through an email.
“We have also had weekly communications with the strata through email,” Dean said.
The structural engineering report indicates Terra Ridge is located in an historic landslide area and while there may be continued slow land movement, there is no longer a concern of immediate or imminent risk to the occupants and engineers recommend continued monitoring of the area.
As for the people who were in the four units, Dean said he knows some have left town and others are renting other homes within the Williams Lake area, including some at Terra Ridge.
“It has been a hardship for them, for sure,” he said of those who had to move out. “We’ve worked as quick as we can, but we understand it has been very, very difficult for them. Today everyone was very receptive and supportive - we appreciate their patience in all of this.”
Dean said the city will continue to work with the Terra Ridge strata and residents on next steps based on the engineers’ advice, as well as continue to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) and local partners to investigate a long-term solution.
To date, in coordination with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, the city has supported the Terra Ridge strata by facilitating nearly $338,000 in emergency Provincial funding to provide security services, emergency support services (ESS) and five engineering reports, in total.
Dean said the bulk of that money has been spent on the engineering reports.
“While concerns were raised by some residents about time taken to conclude the SOLE, this can be attributed, largely, to the time needed by professional engineers to do their due diligence and ensure accuracy of reporting,” Dean said.
Continuing to monitor the situation from its Emergency Operations Centre, the city will provide updates as they are available.
Murray Sinclair, public affairs officer with MoTI, said in an email the next stage of the surface water management program for the Hodgson Slide that began last fall will continue this summer.
“Work will include continued ditching and culvert improvements to enhance drainage in the Highway 20 for the Hodgson and Dog Creek Road area.
“The ministry looks forward to providing more updates in the coming months, as project work progresses,” he noted.
READ MORE: Williams Lake residents impacted by slow-moving slide at Terra Ridge seek answers
READ MORE: MoTI hosts open house about Hodgson and Dog Creek slides impacting Williams Lake
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